Officials ready for warrant roundup

City and county law enforcement officials will hit the streets beginning Feb. 25 to arrest people with outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants in conjunction with the state’s sixth annual warrant roundup. Local officials have mailed notices to people with outstanding warrants and will give them an opportunity to take care of any unpaid tickets before the weeklong roundup.

Amarillo Municipal Court Administrator Victoria Medley said there are about 39,000 outstanding municipal warrants for misdemeanor offenses, including traffic violations, public intoxication, theft and disorderly conduct. The warrants amount to as much as $11 million, she said.

Medley said municipal court officials work on warrants year-round, but people do not always comply.

About three-fifths of the warrants stem from traffic violations and many times people forget about the ticket and don’t follow through with it, she said. Others fail to appear in court, she said.

Medley said she did not have figures on how many individuals pay the fines or go to jail.

Randall County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Danny Alexander said the roundup causes a slight spike in the jail population, but it doesn’t last long.

Alexander said once law enforcement officials serve the warrant, they typically give the individual a chance to pay the fees.

After they are booked in jail, inmates with misdemeanor warrants usually pay out the bond to be released, he said.

There are about 5,500 active warrants in Randall County and more than 90 percent are for misdemeanor offenses, he said.

Alexander said deputies typically focus on felony warrants, so the roundup gives officers a chance to pick up those wanted on misdemeanors.

Potter County Attorney Scott Brumley said the roundup is aimed at clearing up the financial obligations people owe to the city or county.

“The hope is to get the attention of some folks who have evaded, have not appeared in court or have not paid their tickets,” he said.

The roundup happens at a good time of the year because taxpayers are getting their returns and can pay the tickets, he said.

Potter County officials will hone their efforts on catching hot-check writers because those crimes involve money, Brumley said.

The court fines and fees stemming from criminal offenses help fund county projects and prevent tax increases, he said.

A portion of those collected fees and fines also goes toward the Texas Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund, which helps victims and their families.

Brumley said the majority of people with outstanding warrants simply pay the fine, and Potter County averages up to 12 people booked in jail through the roundup.

Brumley said people should take care of the cases before the roundup.

“Then they won’t be looking over their shoulders, looking for the officer that may be out to get them,” he said.